BY MIKE CARROLL
OF THE PLAINSMAN
HURON — Huron senior Blake Ellwein and junior teammate Davis Chase were named to the Class AA all-state team by the South Dakota Basketball Coaches Association.
The duo helped lead the Tigers to the Class AA state championship this season.
Ellwein, a 6-foot-10 guard, was named to the first team. He averaged 22.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game this season.
“He has worked hard at his craft to become the best player in the state,” Huron coach Tim Buddenhagen said of Ellwein. “He is difficult to guard because he can score at all 4 levels — he can post up, score off the bounce at the rim, he has perfected his pull up, and he can hit the 3.
“He is the best all-around player in the state by the way he could get us into our offense,” he said. “He has proved he can defend anyone in the state.”
Chase, a 6-8 forward, was named to the second team. He averaged 15.6 points, 63.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.
“He has transformed himself into one of the best players in the state,” Buddenhagen said of Chase. “He has a soft touch from the outside, and he has an array of moves in the post area.
“He has become one of the most tenacious rebounders in the state and he has proven he can guard on the perimeter,” he said. “He will be better next year because of his tremendous work ethic.”
Senior Sam DeGroot of Sioux Falls Lincoln was selected as the Class AA Player of the Year and was joined on the first team by teammate Brody Schafer, who is a 6-0 junior.
Also named to the first team were junior Gavin Shawd of Tea Area, senior Stellen Larson of Harrisburg and senior Cater Buisker of Watertown.
Joining Chase on the second team were senior Colton Smith of Mitchell, senior Ayuel Deng of Brandon Valley, senior Same Ericsson of Sioux Falls Lincoln, junior Colby Nuttbrock of Sioux Falls Jefferson and junior Grifin Wiebenga of Tea Area.
Honorable mention went to senior Jackson McClemans of Watertown, senior Mason Clark of O’Gorman, senior Memphis Bylander of Sioux Falls Roosevelt, senior Justin Bilal of Sioux Falls Roosevelt, senior Hayden Rock of Sturgis and senior Bergan Tetzlaff of Brookings.
Class AA
First Team
Sam DeGroot, SF Lincoln, 6-7, sr., F (20.9 points per game, 8.8 rebounds per game, 2.2 assists per game)
Blake Ellwein, Huron, 6-10, sr., G (22.6 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.1 apg)
Gavin Shawd, Tea Area, 6-1, jr., G (21.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.5 apg)
Stellen Larson, Harrisburg, 6-3, sr., F (14.3 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 1.7 apg)
Carter Buisker, Watertown, 6-3, sr., G (18.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.9 apg)
Brody Schafer, SF Lincoln, 6-0, jr., G (9.8 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 6.3 apg)
Second Team
Colton Smith, Mitchell, 6-5, sr., G-F (17.3 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 3 apg)
Davis Chase, Huron, 6-8, jr., F (15.6 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.6 apg)
Ayuel Deng, Brandon Valley, 6-3, sr., G (13.5 ppg, 6 rpg, 2 apg)
Sam Ericsson, SF Lincoln, 6-3, sr., G (13.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.4 apg)
Colby Nuttbrock, SF Jefferson, 6-5, jr., F (19 ppg, 7 rpg, 1.9 apg)
Grifin Wiebenga, Tea Area, 6-4, jr., F (16.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.4 apg)
Honorable Mention
Jackson McClemans, Watertown, 6-5, sr., G-F (14.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 6.0 apg)
Mason Clark, O’Gorman, 6-0, sr., G (13.1 ppg, 3 rpg, 3.3 apg)
Memphis Bylander, SF Roosevelt, 6-5, sr., F (11.2 ppg, 3 rpg, 2.2 apg)
Justin Bilal, SF Roosevelt, 6-5, sr., F (10.2 ppg, 4 rpg, 1.6 apg)
Hayden Rock, Sturgis, 5-11, sr., G (21.4 ppg, 4 rpg, 3.4 apg)
Bergan Tetzlaff, Brookings, 6-6, sr., F (15.3 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 3.2 apg)
• Player of Year — DeGroot.
• Repeat Selections — 2025 (Ellwein, DeGroot and Ericsson, first team; Schafer, Smith and Wiebenga, second team; 2024 (Ellwein and Smith, first team).
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